The Cambridge Companion to Gothic Fiction (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

This book is a wonderful start to anyone wanting to look at the idea of the Gothic. I'm a graduate student in English, and this book has been a great tool in helping me with my course work. The book gives you a good overview of the various types and periods of Gothic, including the more modern topics such as films and video games. It is a good starting off point that can help direct your scholarship in the right direction, as well as making you literate as to what exactly the Gothic is and where it has been. I highly recommend it.